Efficacy of adjuvant immunotherapy with cytokine-induced killer cells in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2012 Dec;61(12):2251-9. doi: 10.1007/s00262-012-1289-2. Epub 2012 Jun 7.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the long-term efficacy of adjuvant immunotherapy with autologous cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells for locally advanced gastric cancer patients.

Experimental design: One hundred and fifty-one patients with stage III/IV gastric cancer who had undergone gastrectomy were enrolled, assigned to two groups (immunotherapy group versus no immunotherapy group/or control group), and followed.

Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates for immunotherapy versus control group were 32.4 versus 23.4 % (P = 0.071) and 28.3 versus 10.4 % (P = 0.044), respectively. For patients with intestinal-type tumors, the 5-year OS and DFS rates were significantly higher for immunotherapy (OS, 46.8 vs. 31.4 % and P = 0.045; DFS, 42.4 vs. 15.7 % and P = 0.023). In the immunotherapy group, the mean CD3(+) level, CD4(+) level, and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio increased from 50.8, 26.5, and 0.9 %, respectively, at baseline to 62.6, 35.0, and 1.4 %, respectively, 1 week after the first CIK-cell treatment, returned to baseline after 2 months, and maintained a higher level (60.7 ± 8.2 %, 34.2 ± 7.1 %, and 1.3 ± 0.3 %, respectively) 2 months after 3 cycles of immunotherapy.

Conclusions: Adjuvant immunotherapy with CIK cells prolongs DFS in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer and significantly improves OS in patients with intestinal-type tumors. Intestinal-type tumors could be selected as an important indication for CIK-cell therapy. This treatment may help improve T-lymphocyte subset distribution and improve the host's immune functions, but multiple cycles are necessary for long-term therapeutic efficacy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / immunology
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / immunology*
  • Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / transplantation*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / immunology
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Stomach Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / surgery
  • Stomach Neoplasms / therapy*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD